ART. IV. Mifcellaneous Poetry, in English and Latin, by the Second Edition. 12mo. 432 pp. Rev. Jofeph Reeve. 5s. Robfon. 1794. AMONG the variety of productions which affume the poetical character, a very fmall proportion are found upon examination to poffefs a legitimate claim. It fhould feem, from the general dearth of poetical enthusiasm, as though the lapse of time had induced a languor over the powers of the British Mufe, and nearly extinguifhed that fire which once kindled the poet's genius. Occafionally the fpell is broken by fome happy exertion, and the feeble measures of modern verfe are animated with the glow and energy of better days. Mr. Reeve, whofe poem of Ugbrooke-Park is the only English specimen which this volume contains, has perhaps fome title to be included in that exception, which we have been careful to make from our general cenfure of modern poetry. The mind that delights in a chafte selection of images, and a general fmoothness of verfification, occafionally rifing to ftrength and harmony, will find in this defcriptive effufion a confiderable fhare of these qualities. The following address to the proprietor of Ugbrooke (Lord Clifford) is a fpecimen, which we by no means felect as the beft that may be found. "Let fpeculative Sages range the fphere e; Tell, why the tides refpect their fandy bound, That nature modified is nature ftill." P. 23. The remainder of the volume confifts in Latin verfions of Addifon's Cato, Dryden's and Pope's Odes for St. Cecilia's Day, the paftorals of the latter, and two original Eclogues. The Cato, as the most confiderable, is that upon which our attention is most naturally engaged. The measure employed in this verfion is Iambic, the love-fcenes are omitted, and fome trifling alterations introduced, which accommodate it more ftrictly to the genius of Latin tragedy. How far it may be expedient to turn the ftream of English poetry into the channel of an ancient language, is a fubject upon which we shall give no opinion. Mr. Reeve has certainly executed his task in a manner which in general reflects credit upon his taste and claffical acquirements. We have seen, indeed, in the perusal of this verfion, feveral particulars, upon which criticism might be inclined to animadvert; but our readers will probably confider us as consulting more effentially their amusement and advantage, by laying before them an extract from the work itself. The foliloquy of Cato, as affording at once the greatest difficulties and the richeft fcope, will be the faireft fpecimen of our author's talents and execution. "CATO SOLUS. Sedet meditanti fimilis, præ manibus habet librum Platonis de Immortali tate Anima. In menfà confpicitur enfis vaginá vacuus. Sic effe conftat. Tu quidem rectè, Plato. Horrorque mortis? Quid animus fubitò pavet, Aft ubi, Quando fruendum ? Totus hic, quantus pater, Mens feffa curis. Terminum ponet chalybs. [Enfi manum admovet. Mors Mors atque vita fic mihi eft pofita in manu. [Primo enfem, Mihi fempiternos ille promittit dies." [deinde librum indicat. Mucronis aciem ridet, & temnit minas. P. 257 As we are now difcuffing the merits of a tranflation of Cato, we cannot refufe ourselves the pleasure of gratifying our claffical readers with the infertion of an elegant verfion, in Latin Hendecafyllables, of the mafterly Prologue to this tragedy, from the pen of Mr. Wrangham, with whofe merits the public are already, in fome degree, acquainted. "Ut fenfus Tragicâ excitaret arte, Ut Ut vidit patriæ? Quis haud agenti Quam non ipfe Cato audiens ruberet." To the verfions in this collection, of the Odes of Dryden and Pope on St. Cecilia's Day, it is impoffible not to object the choice of Hexameter verfe, Smart's fpirited tranflation of the latter ode, in mixed measures, would have been a proper object of emulation in rendering Dryden's, and the other might have been performed in fome fixed, but lyric, measure, In tranflating Pope's Meffiah, this author ftands in competition with Dr. Johnfon and Mr. Onely, who have preceded him. The performance of the latter we have not at present by us, but the comparison of Dr. Johnson's verfion with Mr. Reeve's, leads unavoidably to a preference of the former in point of poctical fpirit, though not altogether in cautious latinity. Thefe poems are marked fecond edition, but, if we miftake not, their former appearance has been in a separate, not a collective form. In delivering our general opinion upon this writers we have no difficulty in pronouncing,, that he deferves in a confiderable degree the public patronage. His tranflations are frequently correct and elegant, and combine, in many paffages, the fidelity of a tranflator and the fpirit of a poet. Yet, with this commendation, we cannot forbear uniting our regret, that fo large a portion of the volume fhould have been occupied with Latin tranflations from the pen of an author, whofe talents appear, from the specimens here published, to have rendered him very capable of fucceeding in original compofition. ART. V. The Hiftory, Principles, and Practice (ancient and modern) of the legal Remedy by Ejectment, and the refulting Action for Mefne Profits; the Evidence (in feveral) neceffary to fuftain and defend them. With an Appendix illuftrative of the Subject. By Charles Runnington, Serjeant at Law. Royal 8vo. 14s. 1795. OF the origin of the prefent work, the author's preface furnishes us with the following account : "With the view of illuftrating, if any labours of mine could poffibly illuftrate, its" (i. e. The action of ejectment's) "utility, I, in the courfe of the year 1780, obtruded on the public a treatife on the fubject. That treatise having been fome time out of print, Mr. Juftice Gould, cordially and repeatedly, requested me to revife and enlarge it. The request of that venerable character (a character which will not eafily be deprived of the esteem of pofterity, while learning has any reverence, or integrity any refpect among the profeffors of the law) had the influence of command; a command which at every interval of leifure I fet myself about cheerfully to obey. I am free to confefs, that on revifing the former treatife, I found great room for amendment, infomuch, that though the difpofition of the prefent work be fomewhat fimilar to the former, yet, enlarged as it is, it may, without the imputation of vanity, be confidered altogether as a new one." The treatise to which the learned Serjeant thus alludes, as published by him in 1780, was grounded upon a work of the Lord Chief Baron Gilbert, upon the fame fubject, to which this author had added the more modern cafes, and in which he had inferted a system of the modern practice in that action. Perhaps it would not have been amifs to have mentioned this circumstance in his preface to the present work, more especially as that prefixed to the edition of 1780 (or rather, as the title page has it, 1781) declares that "his ambition" in the publication was only to give the name of Gilbert new luftre and great popularity." Mr. Serjeant Runnington, however, has now fo much enlarged the work, that he has a strong claim to have it confidered as a new book, and his labours have improved it into a very valuable prefent to his profeflion. It merits the encomium of |